Kubota Rtv 500 Torque Specs
Jan Dominquez
Just wanted to let you folks now I had an interesting and disappointing situation with my new Tenere. Last week I reached my 600 mile break-in so I changed the oil. The drain plug from the dealership was on really tight. After draining the oil I put the plug back in. I followed the instructions in the service manual which called for 32 ft/lbs of torque. However, I managed the strip the threads and partially squash the strainer cover assembly (the OEM name). Of course, I was surprised and horrified.
I rechecked my torque wrench about 10x and it was set to only 30 ft/lbs. Suspecting the wrench failed I checked it against another and it seemed to be okay. I did not "calibrate" the wrench, but merely checked it against the "feel" of another to determine they about the same.
I brought the bike to the dealer for repair and explained the story. In the meantime, I checked the torque specs on other motorcycles: KLR650 (17 ft/lbs); Husqvarna 350 (15 ft/lbs); Triumph Tiger (17 ft/lbs). Why does the Tenere call for 32 lbs? Seems like a lot by comparison, even if the bolt is big. I can't send a picture because the bike is in the shop right now.
Long story short: Yamaha agreed this was too much torque for this plug, and said they will no longer recommend 32 ft/lbs. Yamaha will cover the cost of the part and the repair, but unfortunately, the part is on backorder with no ETA at this time. Bummer since the riding season is quickly coming to a close. I wanted to warn other Tenere riders to be careful with the plug.
I don't know the new torque specs yet. They didn't say, and I suspect they haven't nailed down a number yet. If it were me, I would snug it up by feel and watch it for a couple days. If there's no leak, you should be good. With any luck I'll get a new torque recommendation when I pick up the bike later this month.
About to go out and do my first oil change shortly today. That torque seems absolutely ridiculously high. I put a new piston in my old KLR the other day and spec is 2/3 the required torque for the head bolts. Will just be going by feel me thinks.
My drain plug was extremely tight the first time oil change. I looked up the torque spec and was surprised it was so high at 32 ft lbs. Seems to be a miss print is what I passed it off as and put mine in tight to snug like all my other bikes. Never had a issue doing so. I do not use a torque wrench on the oil drain plug. Never have in the past. To much there that could go wrong imo. Having said that in 40+ years I have never had one fall out either. While road racing for 17 years we were required to safety wire the oil drain plug. Very easy to do and it is not coming out or loose. I suspect true torque value on that drain plug is no more than 16 ft lbs.
32 ft-lbs torque on a drain plug, going into a cast aluminium sump? OUCH! no wonder it stripped right out! I'd say 12 ft-lbs max maybe?
Thats definitely some kind of manual misprint, glad they are doing the right thing and fixing it under warranty.
As others have posted, I've been doing oil changes for decades and always just go by hand tightening both the filter and drain plugs. Only engine I go by the factory specs is a certain Rotax 912 that I mess with (that one has safety wire too, and even calls for a thermal compound on the sparkplug threads!)
I would say that 12 - 15 ft lbs. of torque should be enough for that plug. I try to use a new crush washer every time as well, that way you won't get any leaks or seepage. The KLR's had a drain plug that was prone to strip if you were not careful, torque was 15 ft lbs with the eagle mike plug.
You did store your toque wrench unwound??I learnt the hard way on expensive engines, i don't use a torque wrench for steel to alloy components as they always read over, experience has taught me where it needs to be.
i was doing a RR phantom 3 V12 starter studs and associated brackets. All bar two sheered and stripped, stud pack 340 and should have been 60 lbs on torque. Frustrated i wound down to make a point to 50. It still sheered.
I did not know that was a "thing" until now. However, I since checked the torque wrench against another and it seems to be functioning fine. From what I can tell, the problem wasn't the torque wrench.
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